PITTSFORD, NY – Host St. John Fisher defeated Hartwick's football team by a 68-40 final score on Saturday in an Empire 8 game at Growney Stadium.
           
The Hawks would register 410 yards of offense on the day. But the Cardinals generated 654 yards, including 525 through the air. The Fisher defense also forced the Hawks into four turnovers in the contest.
           
With the loss, Hartwick falls to 2-7 overall and 1-6 in the Empire 8. The Cardinals, who are ranked 23^rd in the country in the latest D3football.com poll, improve to 8-1 and 6-1.
           
Quarterback Thomas Sydeski (Brockport, NY/Stonehill College), who was making his first start for the Hawks, completed 26-of-43 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. His top target was Koree Reed (Baldwinsville, NY/Central Conn. St. Univ.), who made 11 receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Shawn McNeil (Mechanicville, NY/Stillwater HS) made five catches for 72 yards. Tito Pichardo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville HS) rushed for 98 yards and recorded three scores on 26 carries.
           
The Cardinals were led by Matt Naton's 504 passing yards and six touchdowns on 31-of-42 attempts. Receiver William Coon made 11 catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns and Mike Collichio caught nine balls for 149 yards and one score. Running back Tony Fusco gained 116 yards and scored once.
           
Fisher, which came away with points on 11 of its 15 drives on the day, opened the scoring 2:18 into the game on a touchdown. Pichardo got the Hawks back to within a point after a 6-yard run just 3:55 later. A 54-yard Naton-to-Coon touchdown pass at 7:35 extended the Cardinal advantage to eight, 14-6. Sydeski then connected with Reed with 2:21 left in the quarter for a 14-13 game.
           
The hosts scored on four straight drives the rest of the half, sandwiched around another Sydeski-to-Reed touchdown pass, and Fisher would lead 42-20 at the break. The Cardinals tacked on their last score at the halftime buzzer on a Will Blake 26-yard reception.
           
Pichardo opened the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown, and following two Fisher field goals, he added another one 5:05 into the fourth quarter to trim the gap to sixteen points, 48-32. It would be as close as the Hawks would get as the Cardinals answered 52 seconds later and scored again at 4:31 for a 62-32 edge.
           
Chase Weichman (Rochester, NY/SUNY Cortland) hauled in a 12-yard pass from Sydeski and the duo added the two-point conversion for the Hawks' final points of the day.
           
Eugene Allen III (Laurel, NY/Mattituck) had the team-high in tackles for the Hawks with 10. Frank Sorrenti (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell HS) and Mark Hackett (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) combined for 16 tackles with five for a loss of 24 yards. Sorrenti had eight hits, three for a loss, a forced fumble, and a pass defended. Hackett had eight tackles, two TFLs, including the Hawks' only sack. Liam Kane (Saratoga Springs, NY/Stillwater) contributed six hits.
           
Hartwick will wrap up its season next Saturday, November 12 against Utica at 1 p.m. The Hawks will also honor their seniors in a ceremony prior to the game.